Citizenship and Immigration Canada
www.cic.gc.ca
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Applying for permanent residence from within Canada: Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (IMM 5289)
Dependent children
Dependent children include:
- Your dependent children
- The dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner
- The dependent children of your dependent children
Note: This also includes children whom you have joint or sole custody even if the children usually live with the other parent and will not join you in Canada.
| Type A | He or she is under the age of 22; and is single, (not married and not in a commonlaw relationship). |
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| Type B | He or she has been continuously enrolled and in attendance as a full-time student in a post-secondary institution accredited by the relevant government authority and depends substantially on the financial support of a parent either
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| Type C | He or she is 22 years of age or older, has depended substantially on the financial support of a parent since before the age of 22 and is unable to provide for himself or herself due to a medical condition. |
When must my dependent children meet the definition?
Your dependent children must meet one of the above definitions on the day we receive your application and, for types B and C, they must continue to meet this definition for permanent residence to be granted or for a permanent resident visa to be issued.
Having my dependent children examined
All family members, including all dependent children, whether they are in Canada or not, must be both declared on your application, and examined. If family members are not examined, it is generally not possible to sponsor them at a later date.
In addition, failure to declare family members on your application and have them examined goes against your duty to provide truthful and accurate information, and may cause you to be found inadmissible to Canada. In this instance, you would not be permitted to apply for permanent resident status for two years. You may also be subject to a removal from Canada after you have been granted permanent resident status, if you are found to have concealed family members at any time during your application for permanent residence.
